[iainmerrick]

If I could (hypothetically) buy an electric car that’s affordable, cheaper to run, more reliable than an internal combustion car, less environmentally damaging, and covers most of my normal usage, I’d be on it like a shot, even if it means I have to figure out another solution for occasional stuff like house moves and driving holidays, and I think a lot of other people would too.

I think the biggest blocker right now is just price. It seems like electric cars are either very expensive or not very good.

Charging networks are definitely an important part of the overall solution but I don’t think they’re the whole story. I think if enough people have EVs, charging networks will inevitably follow, rather than the reverse.

Edit to add: I’m assuming I can charge at home in this scenario, which I realise may not be easy for many people (eg in apartment blocks). I would have thought that’s a somewhat different problem from charging networks, though.

[bluGill]

Price will block you again. You pay as much insurance and tax on cars that sit around doing nothing as cars you use every day. You have to drive the extra car a lot more than the average person to make it worth having a second car sitting around for rare trips. Renting is expensive enough that the rare trip has to be very rare before it is worth it.

For most people the oversized SUV that can do anything they need is a more economical choice than a similar SUV and even a "cheap beater" car for most of their driving - and of course most people would demand both cars be expensive nice cars.